Mattress.



T. H. BENTON.

MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18,1911.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

314mm: $2M H. @wmw aflomuu o COLUMBIA PLANOGIZA?" CO., 'ALHXNM, D. C

wwneoow T. H. BENTON.

MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1911 1,088,959. Patented M3113, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

coLullllA PLANDGRAPH co u \mnmon n c THOMAS H. BENTON, OF PORTSIIIOUTH, VIRGINIA.

MATTRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1911.

lPatented Mar. 3, 119314.. Serial No. 627,991.

1/ '0 all who m. it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BENTON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of i irginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mattresses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mattresses and the object is to provide means for protecting the corners thereof in order to prevent the fabric from becoming damaged and the mattress from being jammed in such manner as to destroy the shape thereof.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application :F igure 1 is a lltll'f'PEClllVG view of a portion of a mathaving a protecting device on the edges thereof. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the protecting member as seen from the inner side. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing several mattresses placed together and having their outer edges protected. Fig. l is a iierspective view of another form of the device. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective.

in carrying out my invention I make use of a mattress 1O constructed in the ordinary manner and apply to the edges thereof and especially to the corners protecting means comprising members 15 and 20 which have slidable or telescopic connection with each other in order that similar devices may fit mattresses of various thicknesses.

The device 15 consists of a flat portion 16 having connected with two of the side edges thereof members 17 and 18 which are in turn connected at the corner 19. Tying and bracing devices 21, 22, 23 and 2-l are provided and are arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The lower member 20 is similarly formed.

.lln Fig. 2 is illustrated the manner of connecting the various portions of the side *alls together in order to form a rigid construction with a given amount of material. The side wall 17 consists of three main layers 25, 2G and 27, the supplemental layer 26 being continuous with the layer 28 of the portion 15. Side wall 18 includes two layers 29 and 30 and the inner layer 30 extends beneath the inner layer 28 of member 15.

Supplemental layer 26 of side member 17 has formed thereon a tongue 32 which passes through a slot in layer 25 and the middle layer of member 15 has a similar tongue connected therewith passing through a slot 3% in layer 28. The tongue is formed with laterally extendii'ig ears and constitutes a locking device. That portion of the middle layer of member 15 which carries the tongue may be cut separately from the main layer, the meeting edges of the sections being tapered at a point slightly to the left of the extreme lower corner of Fig. 2.

The inner corner bracing member 40 is secured to the inner layers of the side walls and a similar device .11 connects members 15 and 17 In Fig. 3 I have shown devices of this character as I intend to use them for protecting the outer mattresses when several are shipped together in the form of a bale. The construction may be substantially the same as that above described and the illustration is intended to show one way in which the device may be advantageously employed.

In Fig. ela further form of the device is illustrated, this construction being box-like in form and obviously made to conform to the thickness of the mattress for which it is intended. The side walls of this construction are indicated by the numerals h) and 46, these walls being continuous with the end walls. End wall 4-? is continuous with side member 46 and end wall 4-8 is continu ous with side wall. 45. These side walls also overlap at the lower portion as the box appears in Fig. l. Reinforcing strips 49 and 50 protect certain of the corners and inner reinforcing strips 52 and 53 are located in the corresponding inner corners. Additional reinforcing devices 54, 55 and 56 may be provided on the outside and strips 57 and 58 on the inside, in the positions shown.

A. device of this character is especially useful in protecting the corners of a mattress used in a sleeping car, in a hospital or in any place in which changes are constantly being made. It is also employed to advantage in shipping mattresses in order to protect the edges thereof.

W hat I claim is In a device of the class described, a mattress and a reinforcing device therefor comprising a three-sided box-like member arranged to cover a plurality of sides and corners of the mattress, and a second member corresponding therewith, the said box members each overlapping the otheralong certain sides and having one side free, and said members being formed of a plurality of layers, means for bracing the corners of the inner layers, means for bracing the corners of the outer layers, and reinforcing means for connecting the inner layer with one of the intermediate layers near the edge and at a point remote from the corner of each box member, the means last mentioned being formed integrally with said intermediate 15 layer.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. BENTON. Vitnesses:

ALICE J. BENTON, ELLA -J. BENTON.

Gopie I of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington. D. C. 

